Information Adoption Services Victoria collects from organisations

Adoption Services Victoria (ASV) may collect information from other organisations where authorised or required by law.

Usually we will ask for your direct consent before collecting information, as required by the Adoption Act 1984. Where authorisation is provided by other legislation, information about that legislation is provided below.

Births, Deaths and Marriages

The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria (BDM) provides ASV with access to information, including under section 48 of the Births, Deaths and Marriages Act 1996.

This includes:

the Register of Adoptions
court records in the custody of the BDM Registrar
information contained in other registers.

Read more about information held by BDM.

Community service organisations

Some community service organisations that were involved when an adoption was arranged may hold relevant records or other documents.

Crime Check Australia

Any person who has applied to be approved to adopt a child must provide a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.

Complete your Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check on the CrimeCheck Australia website.

Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

In Victoria, adoption is separate from the child protection system. Adoption is only an option where parents freely consent.

In some cases, ASV will share information with and receive information from child protection where needed for the protection or wellbeing of a child under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.

ASV may also provide records held by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) as part of an application for information about a past adoption. When a person is adopted while in the direct care of the State of Victoria or placed by the state in private institutions, ASV may request records from DFFH.

Department of Government Services

Any person that has applied to adopt a child must have a volunteer Working with Children Check.

This allows Working with Children Check Victoria to consider:

an applicant’s criminal history
certain court orders
relevant findings made by certain professional disciplinary bodies
other information relevant to child safety, including allegations of abuse and misconduct towards children.

ASV will be informed if there is a change to that person’s status. Approved people do not need to have a current Working with Children Check once an adoption order is made and they become legal parents.

Department of Home Affairs

If a child is placed for adoption and their natural parent is not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, ASV will work with the Department of Home Affairs to apply for the child’s permanent residency. This includes sharing information about the child.

ASV provides information to and receives information from the Department of Social Services to provide an Intercountry Adoption Program.

Electoral roll and other public registers

The Victorian Electoral Commission provides ASV with access to electoral enrolment details under Section 34 of the Electoral Act 2002 (Vic) to help find people connected to an adoption.

This includes:

full name
residential address
postal address
gender
date of birth.

It is an offence under the Electoral Act 2002 (Vic) for a person or an organisation to use enrolment information, except for purposes permitted by the Victorian Electoral Commission. Penalties may apply if this is not followed.

Hospitals

ASV may receive information from hospitals when a child who is under the care of the Secretary is receiving medical treatment.

If ASV gets a request for adoption information, hospitals may share relevant information from their records.

Medical practitioners

ASV may request information from a medical practitioner when assessing someone that has applied to be approved to adopt.

Overseas adoption authorities

ASV will exchange information with overseas adoption authorities when:

arranging an intercountry adoption
responding to a request for adoption information.

Updated 2 November 2026